There was a Zeytun in Southeastern Turkey, apparently, in what is now Kahramanmaraş. Today it's called Süleymanlı. As far as I know the Zeytuni rifles were originally built there. Then again, I rely solely on oral history here regarding the rifles, and I've heard many a tall tale first hand regarding the history of antiques, so I'd approach this information with a tiny pinch of salt.
Hi Wulf !!!! Glad to hear from you again. I will respond to your private email to me. Thanks.
Dear Toot I can't say much re the decorated v plainer issue situation .Though it seems many of these troops where localized on Clan or otherwise ethnic lines . Sort of like your National guard only the kit was private and probably kept the peace in unstable regions so decorated seems a personal choice . As to the quality of these guns I doubt they were any inferior to Western arms bought in a similar manner .& by and large they seem perfectly adequate and generally reliable locks though many guns seem to be so used over the owners life time that they appear to be worn out & unfit for purpose becoming oft as not just part of the National costume or dress you might say .
Probably the latter. I've read more than one Ottoman report of armoury officials complaining about musketmen (not all Ottoman musketmen were Janissaries, mind you, and even if so, by the time firearms became commonplace in the hands of Ottoman soldiers, the Janissaries were no longer the elite that Westerners know them as) selling their state-issued musket off to Anatolia (where it went to rebel hands), and using that money to get themselves custom, embellished guns. State-issue muskets were not well liked by troops, but whether they had reason to complain about its quality or were just showing signs of praetorian hubris is up for debate.
Barud, thanks for a super informative response. My quick research into the janissaries had left me confused about their reputation in the period where they were still making territorial gains in Europe, but also having their constant mutinies and coups.
The Turks, generally, were considered gun makers during this time. But much of the gun making was farmed out to the many gun making centers throughout the Balkans. In fact, often entire towns and villages were conscripted to make arms. Often under contract for the Ottoman Empire. Likely, many guns found their way to both friend and foe alike. LOL (Sort of reminds me of how the British Enfield rifle was sold to both North and South during our U.S. Civil War).
How common is it for this type of gun to be rifled?
I've seen more rifled than smoothbore in my personal experience. Barud probably has a better idea of this, though, the times i've been in Turkey I only saw guns in museums
Depending on the Region, all the shoulder guns I've examined seem to be about 50/50 rifled versus smooth bore. When you think about it, not much different than Europe during the late 18th through the first half of the 19th Centuries. The rifled barrels all seem to have 7 or 8 groove rifling.
